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As companies expand their international footprint, insight regarding how to effectively organize international selling and sales management (ISSM) efforts is becoming increasingly important. Unfortunately, most prior research on personal selling and sales management is grounded in a domestic market perspective, which limits the relevance of its findings to situations in which sales activities occur between stakeholders located in different national markets. This special issue responds to the need for dedicated research on ISSM through six articles that explore phenomena arising from the interaction between international salespeople and international customers and their domestic counterparts. Moreover, this editorial builds on these six articles to advance a research agenda rooted in an interaction-based conceptualization of the ISSM field that identifies areas of inquiry related to international salespeople, international customers, and international managers, and subsequently prioritizes these research opportunities using input provided by sales practitioners. This special issue and editorial thus identify critical, underexplored research topics in the ISSM domain that are accompanied by a series of illustrative examples of how best to contribute to this emerging but important literature stream. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mango tree presents a high level of fruit abscission, which is increased in semiarid regions due to environmental stress. The use of biostimulants and phytoregulators has shown to be a promising strategy to improve fruit setting. Thus, the present study defined the best strategy for setting and development of the fruit, with the application of phytoregulators and biostimulants on the 'Keitt' mango tree, cultivated in the São Francisco Valley. Two experiments were performed. In experiment 1, a randomized block design was used, with four treatments T1: control, T2: gibberellic acid (AG3) + 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), T3: AG3 + 2,4-D+Benzyladenine, T4: Biostimulant + CoMo® (sources of cobalt and molybdenum). In experiment 2, the factorial scheme (2 ×3 + 1) distributed in randomized blocks was established, corresponding to two forms of potassium fertilization (recommended and adjusted), three gibberellin concentrations (0, 10 and 20 mg L-1) and additional treatment (control - recommended potassium fertilization and no setting strategy). The variables analyzed include the relative number of fruits, the number of fruits for domestic and foreign markets, productive potential, production, productivity, fruit volume, fruit mass, and the yield of peel, pulp and stone. The application of 10 mg L-1 AG3 + 10 mg L-1 2,4-D + 10 mg L-1 Benzyladenine in full flowering of the 'Keitt' mango tree, increased the setting and the production of the fruit. Regardless of fertilization, sequential applications at 10 or 20 mg L-1 of AG3 proved to be an effective strategy to produce 'Keitt' mango tree. Adjusted potassium fertilization and the application at 10 mg L-1 of AG3 promotes the production of fruits with greater mass and volume. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper utilizes data on Chinese industrial firms to study the impact of corporate financing constraints on export product quality under the perspective of dual institutional differences. The results show that, after controlling for possible endogeneity problems, firm financing constraints impede export product quality improvement. However, a sound domestic market system and a closer institutional distance to the exporting country mitigate the dampening effect of financing constraints on export product quality. These findings provide implications for firms to adjust export strategies and improve export product quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Argentina's energy matrix is highly dependent on hydrocarbons, but domestic production has not been able to supply the domestic market, resulting in trade deficits and permanent foreign exchange outflows. In this context, the Kirchner administrations conducted several economic reforms, one of the axes of which was the recovery of the leading role of the State in order to achieve energy sovereignty. This series of reforms was modified before the arrival of the liberal Mauricio Macri to the presidency but was partially reinstated by the government of Alberto Fernandez in 2020. This paper aims to analyze whether successive governments have mitigated the underinvestment and external dependence of the Argentine energy sector and the limitations of such policies. It concludes that the different oil policies implemented had failed to reverse the underinvestment and foreign dependence of the Argentinean hydrocarbon sector. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the development of new breweries and the expansion of existing malt factories, malt barley has become a highly demanded-commercial crop in Ethiopia. However, present efforts to increase malt barley productivity and supply have not been able to meet the domestic market's needs. As a result, the scaling of climate-adapted malt barley varieties with its production package was done at North Shewa Amhara Ethiopia during the 2018 and 2019 main production seasons. In the first phase, HB1963, HB1964, Fanaka, and Ibon 174/03 were planted on seven farmers' farms and evaluated by randomly selected 84 farmers using their selection criteria. The analysis of variance result showed that the highest yield was obtained from HB1963 (3.138 t/ha), followed by Ibon 174/03 (3.059 t/ha), HB1964 (2.324 t/ha) and Fanaka (2.123 t/ha). The cost–benefit analysis also revealed that the highest net benefit to total cost ratios was obtained from HB1963, followed by Ibon-174/03, HB1964, and Fanaka. In the second phase, the chosen varieties were scaled up in a clustered base on 12.3 hectares of land by participating 31 smallholder farmers during the main production season. Continuous field monitoring and evaluation were done by concerned experts and local farmers. The scale-up varieties, HB1963 and HB1964 gave 19.56% and 28.61% yield advantages over the local check respectively. The study's policy recommendations included expanding the use of high-yielding and well-adapted malt barley varieties, supporting both the formal and informal seed systems, and encouraging the malt barley producers and the domestic market to substitute imports. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental certificates in aquaculture are becoming important market tools throughout the world. However, there are important regional and national differences, and Brazil, due to the low number of certified companies, deserves specific research. A preliminary analysis of the Brazilian aquaculture market shows a large market with strong growth and more than 25 cultivated species, but where 80% of the turnover is focused on tilapia, tambaqui, and white shrimp, primarily targeting the domestic market with very few exceptions to the external market. These particular conditions seem to explain the low number of certified aquaculture companies, even when compared to other countries in the region with similar or smaller aquaculture industries. This study interviewed managers from 80 companies in the Brazilian aquaculture production chain, including all certified companies. The results seem to be in line with previous studies conducted in different parts of the world. The main benefits associated with aquaculture certifications are access to new markets and production improvement, while the main barriers to certification are high costs, lack of awareness, bureaucracy, or lack of government support. Certified Brazilian aquaculture companies share similar characteristics among themselves but differ from most companies in Brazil; they are all large-scale firms, mainly related to tilapia production and oriented towards the international market. The low number of certified companies seems to be linked to the large demand for aquatic products in Brazil that even Brazilian aquaculture firms cannot satisfy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Road cabotage within the EU, as a share of domestic transport of goods, varies greatly across member states. This can partly be attributed to EU's regime for consecutive cabotage. In addition to economic factors that reflect incomplete market integration, spatial factors appear to affect the impact of the current regime. The impact seems stronger for geographically large and centrally located countries with interregional homogeneity in trade. This may reflect that foreign hauliers under such conditions can utilize the characteristics of their standardized long-range trucks better, or because the likelihood of successfully fixing three favourable long-distance cabotage assignments within the seven days limit increases. Potential amendments to regulations in order to equalize the impact of EU's consecutive cabotage regime across member states' spatial characteristics include removing the limits to the number of trips within the seven days' time frame or shortening the time frame for carrying out the current maximum of three trips. • EU's « three-in-seven » road haulage cabotage rule affects member states unevenly across spatial characteristics. • The domestic market effect appears stronger for large countries with interregional homogeneity in trade. • The study argues for reforms like the rejected EC's 2017 proposal of no restrictions to the number of cabotage assignments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this paper is to assess whether trade liberalisation has improved the structure of investment from domestic to export capacity in the Australian manufacturing sector. This has critical implications for export growth at a time of losses in the domestic marker emanating from the move towards free trade and hence production in this sector. The empirical results reveal trade liberalisation has played a major role in re-orienting investment towards export capacity which promotes quicker export growth thereby offsetting the losses in the domestic market and hence safeguarding manufacturing production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to investigate the dynamic of price discovery for cross-listed stocks using high-frequency intraday data. We show that the local market leads price discovery process with a significant contribution of the foreign US market. Moreover, we find that arbitrage opportunities enhance market liquidity of cross-listed firms, and vice versa. A higher US market contribution to price discovery provides an increase in the local trading volume as well as in arbitrage opportunities frequency. This latter leads to greater local market contribution to price discovery confirming the information-based transactions in the domestic markets of US cross-listed firms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores the relation between both saving rate and the ratio investment/GDP on economic growth for a wide sample of countries with different income and openness levels. The evidence indicates that in general higher saving and investment are growth promoting, in special in lower and closer economies. There the capital marginal return must be higher because of the scarcity of capital proper of less developed economies. In turn, the lack of external markets imposes the necessity to increase saving and investment in order to expand the domestic markets. Besides, savings and investment that maximize the growth rate are higher than the modal values. Thus, to increasing them should promote higher growth rates. Economic policy recommendations are that the governments should impulse austerity both at public and private level, as fiscal policies and a tax system tending to achieve higher saving and investment rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The performance of foreign investors relative to domestic investors has been a subject of mixed evidence. While foreign investors are often perceived to underperform due to an information disadvantage, they are also known for their aggressive trading and superior performance in initiated orders. We provide further clarity on this issue. Specifically, by analyzing over five million transactions on the Jakarta Stock Exchange, our findings reveal that foreign investors consistently outperform domestic investors in terms of both annualized returns and profit amounts. Further investigation attributes this outperformance to the higher sophistication of foreign investors, who demonstrate superior stock-picking abilities and effective growth investing strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of China Plastics / Zhongguo Suliao is the property of Journal Office of CHINA PLASTICS and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Plate storage and transportation are important factors restricting the development of custom furniture industry. The use of AGV (Automated Guided Vehicle) for plate storage and transportation is important to improve the safety, flexibility and customization of the production line. This paper adopted a combination of quantitative and qualitative analysis, and conducted quantitative analysis of relevant documents through bibliometric methods to show the development of AGV technology. Using CiteSpace bibliometric software, based on the core database of CNKI, the research status, hotspot, and theme of AGV at home and abroad were comprehensively analyzed, and the evolution process and research trend of the key themes of AGV were revealed through the analysis of the time line map. The results showed that the overall volume of AGV was on the rise, and China was in the early stage of development. With the continuous maturity of related technologies and the increase of market demand, the application of customized furniture panel transportation AGV in the domestic market will gradually expand and achieve greater development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mobile platforms provide important entrepreneurial opportunities by facilitating access to a global market composed of more than a hundred countries. These opportunities are crucial for mobile app startups as they seek to reach a wider audience and accelerate growth. Nevertheless, performing in foreign countries is challenging as mobile app startups face a "foreignness liability" since they are competing against complementors (i.e., app developers) who have experience in their domestic market. We offer a research model that assesses the impact of cultural distance on the app-level performance of mobile app startups in foreign countries. We hypothesize the moderating effects of investor-consumer cultural distance and environmental characteristics within foreign countries. We test the model using a dataset of over 550 mobile app startups operating on the iOS platform. Our findings support our hypotheses and provide insights into whether mobile platforms are level playing fields. Our study sheds light on the interactions between a startup and its investors' cultural distances highlighting configurations of cultural distance that are beneficial for app performance in foreign countries when the environment is stable or uncertain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

I examine whether competition from domestic industry rivals affects firms' proclivity to undertake foreign direct investment (FDI) and their country location choices. I find that competition affects foreign production decisions and the geography of international investments. While firms enduring stiffer competition are significantly less likely to undertake FDI, this effect is heterogeneous across firms. Competition deters FDI more strongly when costs are heavier, whereas it has weaker effects when efficiency is higher, growth opportunities are valuable, and cash reserves are higher. FDI location models suggest that when going abroad, firms facing stronger competition are more likely to pursue economies of productivity and taxation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Emissions from small-scale heating appliances significantly contribute to exacerbating Serbia's severe air quality challenges. This study investigates two types of pellets, produced from wheat crop residue and a mixture of wheat and rapeseed, as potential alternatives to wood pellets. The analysis covers key solid biofuel characteristics, including heating value, moisture, volatile matter, elemental composition, ash content, and melting temperature, in accordance with normative specifications. Results reveal that agropellets from wheat and the mixture fail to meet established requirements, disqualifying them from any ENplus classification. Emission characteristic tests, conducted in an automatic residential pellet stove, measure O2, CO2, CO, NOx, SO2, and TOC. Comparative analysis with wood pellets quantitatively indicates higher gaseous pollutant emissions from agropellets. Notably, the combustion of agropellets proves unsuccessful, leading to the extinguishing of the fire in the appliance, rendering them unsuitable for household use. The findings underscore the importance of ensuring high-quality pellets are available on the market and in domestic appliances, presenting implications for end-users and policymakers. Addressing these issues is crucial for mitigating air quality concerns and further study associated with heating in households. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Futures trading analysis plays a pivotal role in the development of macroeconomic policies and corporate strategy planning. High-frequency futures data, typically presented as time series, contain valuable historical patterns. To address challenges such as non-stationary in modeling futures prices, we propose a novel architecture called FuturesNet, which uses an InceptionTime module to capture the short-term fluctuations between ask and bid orders, as well as a long-short-term-memory (LSTM) module with skip connections to capture long-term temporal dependencies. We evaluated the performance of FuturesNet using datasets numbered 50, 300, and 500 from the domestic financial market. The comprehensive experimental results show that FuturesNet outperforms other competitive baselines in most settings. Additionally, we conducted ablation studies to interpret the behaviors of FuturesNet. Our code and collected futures datasets are released. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pectin, an acidic polysaccharide, is naturally present primarily in the cell walls and inner layers of higher plants. Pectin is extensively used in food, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, and other industries owing to its exceptional attributes encompassing superior gelation, emulsification, antioxidant activity, stability, biocompatibility, and nontoxicity. Due to the increasing demand for pectin, there is a short supply in the domestic pectin market. Currently, the domestic production of pectin is heavily reliant on imports, thus emphasizing the urgent need to enhance its local manufacturing capabilities. Due to the diverse sources of pectin and variations in extraction and purification methods, its content, physicochemical properties, and biological activity are influenced, consequently impacting the market application of pectin. Therefore, this paper comprehensively reviews the extraction and purification process of pectin, in vivo metabolism, and biological activities (including antitumor, immunomodulatory, anti‐inflammatory, antioxidant, hypoglycemic and hypolipidemic effects, antimicrobial properties, accelerated wound healing potential, promotion of gastrointestinal peristalsis, and alleviation of constipation as well as cholesterol‐lowering effect). Furthermore, it explores the diverse applications of pectin in food science, biomedicine, and other interdisciplinary fields. This review serves as a valuable resource for enhancing the efficiency of pectin content improvement and exploring the potential value and application of pectin in a more scholarly and scientifically rigorous manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Modern Science is the property of Alcide De Gasperi University of Euroregional Economy and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In this paper, we suggest that Global Production Network (GPN) scholars have yet to deal more substantively with how nation-states, often in alliance with firm actors, actively work to create markets for resources in global production networks. We argue in this paper that GPN scholars should be better attuned to both resource-making interventions and the governance of market development. Resource-making highlights the heterogeneity of the biophysical characteristics of physical entities which entails that certain natures are not readily made available as commodities in markets, but require specific infrastructures, technology, and organizational structures for commercialization. When private capital fails to create markets for resources on its own initiative, states may intervene by facilitating resource-making and governing market development through configurations of ownership, commodification, and risk allocation. In this paper, we explore how the relationship between resource-making and market governance shapes the possibilities and limitations for state strategies in global production networks. Our discussion in the paper is informed by an empirical case study of failed plans by the Indonesian government from 2016 to 2019 to draw upon public-private partnerships to create markets for LNG in the peripheral regions of the country. Despite Indonesia's status as a globally significant LNG exporter, we find that the interorganizational structures and infrastructure needed to deliver natural gas to markets in peripheral regions contradict with the configurations of ownership, commodification, and risk allocation through which the Indonesian government has sought to realize state strategies, thus resulting in the underdevelopment of liquefied natural gas markets in Indonesia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Indian handicrafts have a long and illustrious history. However, the state of the artisans in India has been deplorable. Among all the bell metal crafts, one of the most ancient crafts dating back to the Harrapan civilisation. This study investigates the socio-economic conditions and marketing challenges faced by artisans. Using a sample rate of 30 per cent, data was collected through a field survey involving 100 respondents from a total of 320 artisans. In-depth interviews and focussed group discussions were conducted to gain insights. Based on existing literature, a clear concept of costs and returns is constructed and explored further. Results indicate that artisans are engaged nearly 90 days a year and earn around US $1300. Although there is a strong demand for these products in international and domestic markets, the artisans cannot cope with the production due to higher costs of raw materials and ancient production technologies. Marketing challenges in the form of intermediaries and connectivity to the markets act as significant hurdles. The study proposed a BELL model to integrate the current government programmes and cause a convergence in existing institutions to overcome the issues faced by the artisans. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrangea macrophylla (H. macrophylla), a species in the genus Hydrangea in the family Hydrangeaceae, is widely valued for its ornamental qualities in both domestic and international markets. Notably, H. macrophylla is known for its ability to accumulate aluminum (Al). Moreover, aluminum ions (Al3+) participate in sepal bluing. However, the underlying mechanisms of Al accumulation in the sepals remain unclear. In this study, we utilized transcriptome data from two cultivars to identify genes associated with Al accumulation. In total, 154 differentially expressed isoforms between the CK and Tr groups in the sepals of both cultivars were screened. Through gene enrichment analysis and similarity identification in the CDS (coding sequence) region, 43 differentially expressed genes were identified, including 30 upregulated and 13 downregulated genes, in the sepals of the Al treatment group. Further analysis revealed that seven of these upregulated genes are related to Al accumulation in sepals. Among the seven, the gene HmALS3.1 was identified as a potential key player in Al transport within the sepals of H. macrophylla. This study lays the groundwork for further exploration into the mechanisms by which HmALS3.1 regulates Al accumulation in H. macrophylla. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractAs a necessary institutional arrangement to maintain a fair, competitive order, implementing the Anti-Monopoly Law will significantly impact many aspects of the market economy system. The study examines the impact of China’s Anti-Monopoly Law on employment from 2005 to 2019, using A-share listed companies as a sample. It treats the law’s 2008 implementation as a quasi-experiment and applies the difference-in-differences method. Findings suggest the law significantly expanded employment, especially in non-high-tech and labor-intensive sectors. It improved enterprises’ employment absorption by enhancing factor mobility, market size, and business performance. The conclusions of this study not only provide a theoretical foundation for government departments to objectively assess the micro-performance of the Anti-Monopoly Law’s implementation but also contribute to advancing the development of a unified national market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the slow process of RMB internationalisation over the last decade, we make an empirical argument that China has recently intensified the RMB's international and domestic capacity to make it a formidable challenger to the dollar as a global currency in the medium and long-term range. We highlight that China has made substantial progress in expanding the RMB currency network and institutionalising a deep and open domestic financial market, the two most severe obstacles emphasised by the skeptics on RMB internationalisation. In developing this argument, we draw on the 'credit theory' of money and explain the global expansion of the RMB currency network in terms of the external and internal production of credit and debt relations denominated in the RMB across borders. Our empirical findings suggest that the pace of the growing foreign demand for RMB-denominated assets has recently taken off. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Malaysia is currently experiencing the same scenario as other countries, as the majority of consumers have shifted their preferences from locally produced rice to imported rice. This has resulted in a significant influx of imported rice into the domestic markets. Food security in the long term cannot be achieved by depending on imported food. Therefore, countries must make an effort to develop high-quality rice to meet the demand of customers. The study aimed to evaluate the grain physical traits and physicochemical properties of 30 Malaysian rice landraces to optimize the use of rice landraces in breeding programs. The grain physical traits were evaluated according to grain size, grain shape, and kernel elongation. Meanwhile, the physicochemical properties were determined by amylose content, alkali spreading value, and gel consistency. The grain length ranged from 4.14 to 8.16 mm and the grain width varied between 1.76 and 2.81 mm. The grain shapes were categorized into three types: medium, long and slender, and bold. Most of the rice landraces exhibited a low amylose content ranging from 16.07 to 19.83, while intermediate amylose content ranged from 20.00 to 23.80. The alkali spreading value showed that most of the rice landraces require an intermediate cooking time. The gel consistency exhibited a wide range, varying from soft to hard. The gel consistency exhibited the highest phenotypic and genotypic coefficient of variance, with values of 42.44% and 41.88%, respectively. Most of the studied traits except for kernel elongation were identified as having high heritability and high genetic advance as a percentage of the mean. A dendrogram effectively revealed the genetic relationships among Malaysian rice landraces by generating three distinct clusters. Cluster I was primarily composed of glutinous rice landraces with a low to very low amylose content and exhibited the highest mean values for gel consistency and kernel elongation. Cluster II consisted of 13 rice landraces that had the highest mean value for milled grain length and grain shape. Cluster III was composed of rice landraces and control rice cultivars, and they exhibited the highest mean values for alkali spreading value, amylose content, and milled grain width. Bokilong, Kolomintuhon, Silou, Tutumoh, and Bidor in Cluster III exhibited comparable physicochemical properties and cooking quality traits as the control rice cultivars. The findings of this study are important for identifying potential donors for breeding programs focused on developing high-quality or specialty rice cultivars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What is the impact of investment restrictions on pension participants? Defined benefit public pensions are often susceptible to political pressures to direct some of their investments toward generating domestic economic growth rather than maximizing returns for participants. Defined contribution pensions, however, may also face similar pressures in the form of investment restrictions. Investment restrictions can include regulations on investing in foreign securities to encourage investment in domestic securities, and requirements for investing in domestic public debt to promote the government's fiscal capacity. This article provides a case study of the effects of restricting pension investments in foreign securities in Nigeria following the transition to a defined contribution model in 2004. This article argues that restrictions on foreign investment in Nigeria ultimately harm pension participants by denying them access to high-performing securities. Through various analyses, this article establishes the need to allow Nigerian pension funds to diversify their investments beyond the domestic market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Trans/Form/Ação is the property of Trans/Form/Acao and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Rising fossil energy prices have sparked interest in biofuels, which has led to a closer link between biofuels and fossil energy markets. We apply a thermal optimal path approach based on daily returns to examine the lead‐lag correlation between three biomass futures and three energy futures for 2020–2022. The empirical results show that the biomass futures market first leads the energy futures market with a significant probability of 20–30 days. Second, the lead days decrease sharply after regional conflicts occur, and the link between the two markets strengthens. Third, the sequence of risk transmission between overseas and domestic energy markets changes, and domestic energy markets become more resilient. Finally, the epidemic disrupted the normal transmission of signals between markets, while regional conflicts reconstructed the links, and the transmission time was shorter. In the post‐Covid‐19 period, ongoing conflicts have synchronized risks between markets, further amplifying the possibility of crises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Onion is one of the most important crops in the world, including Iran. Despite the high quantity produced in Iran, it is sent to the domestic and foreign markets in inappropriate conditions and at a low price due to the lack of a sorting process and appropriate packaging. This study aimed to evaluate an onion sorting machine, study the effect of the performance characteristics of the machine on the sorting quality indexes, and determine the probable mechanical damage to the product during the sorting to achieve the machine's optimum performance characteristics. This machine was designed and constructed with two reciprocating sieves with a length and width of 2×1 m², using a wobble shaft. Onion was sorted at 3 degrees based on their diameter according to the international standards code (D<50 mm, 50mm70mm). The sorting performance indexes comprised the degree of pollution and purity, measured and calculated while sorting 200 kg of onion. Also, based on the obtained indexes in all test conditions, the number of optimum performance characteristics of the machine was determined, such as effective capacity, slope (6, 8, and 10 degrees), and frequency of sieves (2.66, 3, 3.33 s-1) and their effect on the onion mechanical damage during the sorting process. The highest degree of purity, equal to 95.60%, was obtained at a frequency of 3.33 s-1 and a slope of 10 degrees for the sieves at a capacity of 1 to 1.2 t/h. Also, the overall sorting efficiency of the machine was 92.34%, and no mechanical damage was observed to the onion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The idea of the paper came from the observation that small wholesaler managed by Portuguese-Eurocash has been able to capture most of the segment of “mom-and-pop” and middle-sized Polish stores. Its sales have been growing when at the same time the global company MAKRO Cash & Carry, which as a first mover was very successful, is losing the market. So, the attempt has been made to analyze Eurocash success in the framework of existing theories of developing competitive advantage on international markets. Design/methodology/approach: The concepts of dynamic capabilities and entrepreneurship theory are shortly described due to the fact that they were found out as the most appropriate to discuss the issue of gaining competitive advantage on Polish wholesale market. The longitudinal case study, in which international strategies of MAKRO Cash & Carry and Eurocash are compared, is presented Findings: Dynamic capabilities are path dependent so when the company wants to sustain advantage on the foreign market characterized by a different structure than is prevailing in its other international markets it could face problems. Such a market is the chance for the entrepreneur which sees the market opportunities and could size them. Originality/value: Paper contributes to the theory of international entrepreneurship showing that that entrepreneurs could be successful on foreign emerging markets using knowledge learned when their domestics markets were exposed to similar changes. It shows how wholesalers and small shops could successfully compete on FMCG market in contemporary economy, characterized by the growing role of networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From the perspective of domestic market integration, this paper systematically examines the impact of transportation infrastructure conditions on excess sensitivity of household consumption based on the China Family Panel Survey (CFPS) and multi-level matching panel data of transportation network density. The results show that the fast-growing development of the transportation infrastructure network has a significant alleviating effect on excess sensitivity of household consumption along the route, and the conclusion is still robust after the use of the multi-dimensional instrumental variable method and a series of robustness tests. According to the heterogeneity tests, in terms of the alleviating effect of transportation infrastructure, railroads rank the first, highways the second, substandard roads the third, waterways the fourth, and roads of other grades at the bottom. The mechanism test reveals that the improvement of domestic market integration is an important channel for transportation infrastructure to alleviate excess sensitivity of household consumption. This paper confirms that improving the transportation infrustructure system is conducive to the construction of a unified national market, alleviating excess sensitivity of consumption and stimulating consumption.This paper provides suggestions for implementing the strategy of boosting domestic demand, and helps the government understand households' consumption decision-making from a broader perspective. This study also provides a theoretical basis for the economic spillover effect of transportation infrastructure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the impact of the Grain Corridor Agreement (GCA), particularly in the aftermath of the Russia–Ukraine conflict, on the prices of major grains (wheat, maize, and barley), pivotal for global sustenance. By delineating three significant shocks: the initiation of the conflict, the enforcement of the GCA, and Russia's subsequent withdrawal from it, we employ an Integrated GARCH (IGARCH) model to investigate the impact of the Russia–Ukraine conflict on grain prices. Our empirical findings reveal that all grain prices surged at the onset of the conflict, with barley experiencing the most pronounced increase. Additionally, volatility escalated across all grain prices during the conflict's inception, albeit subsiding upon the implementation of the GCA. Price volatility spiked initially but decreased with the GCA's enforcement. The evidence suggests that the conflict is driving up world grain prices and causing global vulnerability, and that conciliatory policies such as the GCA offer a short-term solution. However, long-term strategies should focus on reducing external dependence by reviewing agricultural policies and promoting domestic production. Moreover, policymakers are advised to consider both domestic and global market vulnerabilities when designing sound policies. Highlights International grain prices (wheat, maize and barley) spiked during the onset of the ongoing Russia–Ukraine conflict. The conflict triggered an international response to resume safe maritime humanitarian transportation of agricultural grains via GCA. We develop an empirical framework to assess the impact of the Russia–Ukraine conflict on grain prices. Empirical findings indicate that Russia–Ukraine conflict increased all grain prices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We show that over the last two decades, India's effective tax rates (ETRs) have increased by 7.8 percent, which contrasts with the downward trend in ETRs for US firms documented by Dyreng et al. (2017). After controlling for changes in firm characteristics, macroeconomic factors, and tax policy changes, our findings show that ETRs increased by 0.37 percent per year during the sample period. Further, we examine the proposition that public firms are more likely to engage in non-conforming tax management than private firms. We observe a stronger upward trend in ETRs among private firms than public firms, consistent with the capital market pressure hypothesis. The permanent book-tax difference is the primary driver of the ETR trend for both private and public firms. Our findings contribute to the recent debate about the trend in ETRs by undermining concerns regarding rising corporate tax avoidance and reinforcing the argument that improved tax efficiency and economies of agglomeration in countries with large domestic markets contribute to higher ETRs. JEL Codes: G38, H25, H26, H32 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article explores the intricate relationship between economic growth and unemployment across multiple African countries, with a focus on estimating the Okun's coefficient. Data from the International Labour Office (ILO) and the World Bank's databases for 39 African nations were utilised. Two distinct methodological approaches, first differences and the Hodrick-Prescott (HP) filter, were employed to assess result robustness. Findings reveal that in most African countries, the link between GDP growth and unemployment is weak or non-existent, unlike advanced economies. This divergence underscores unique economic structures and labour dynamics in African nations, necessitating tailored approaches to address unemployment. The study also investigates factors contributing to Okun's coefficient variability in Africa, emphasising structural, demographic, and economic influences. Demographic trends, domestic market competition, and the rule of law are identified as key determinants. Consequently, policymakers are urged to prioritise measures targeting these factors to enhance job creation and economic stability. Additionally, the study highlights the role of growth volatility, particularly in Morocco, emphasising the need for policies to stabilise economic growth and mitigate unemployment fluctuations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the widespread popularity of electric vehicles in the domestic market, large‐scale electric vehicle user data has been collected and stored. Highly accurate user‐level charging load prediction has a wide range of application scenarios and great business value. However, most existing EV load prediction methods are modelled from the charging station perspective, ignoring the user's travel habits and charging demand. Therefore, this paper proposes a temporal spatial neural network based on graph attention and Autoformer to predict electric vehicle charging load. Firstly, the urban map of Wuhan is rasterized. Then, driving and charging data from the user level are aggregated into the raster module according to the time sequence, and a spatio‐temporal graph data structure of user travel trajectory is constructed. Finally, the temporal spatial neural network is used to construct the EV charging load prediction model from the user's perspective. The experimental results show that, compared with other baseline prediction methods, the proposed method effectively improves the accuracy of the EV charging load prediction model by fully exploiting the distribution of EV user clusters in time and geographic space. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Before regional trade agreements (RTAs) come into force, some firms enjoy duty‐free imports using other tariff regimes such as a duty drawback (DD) regime. For such firms, the use of RTA tariff regimes will not provide additional benefits in terms of duty exemption. In this study, we examine the trade effects of RTAs in the presence of a DD regime. We theoretically demonstrate that firms that switch from a DD to an RTA regime will either increase or decrease their imports. Subsequently, we empirically analyse the effect of this switching on imports using firm‐level trade data from Thailand. The empirical results show that switching firms either increase or do not change their imports. Our data also suggest that this increase in imported inputs is used to produce goods for the domestic market, not the export market. We also reveal that relatively small‐sized firms tend to switch to the RTA regime, while relatively large‐sized firms continue importing under the DD regime even after the entry of RTAs into force. With these results, we discuss the implication for the magnitude of trade creation effects of RTAs under the presence of DD regimes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mackerel is one of the most popular fish in Korea. However, the determinants of consumer purchase behaviors have not been identified, even though mackerel is an important fish to Korean consumers. This study aims to predict the determinants affecting consumer purchase intentions for mackerel in the Korean domestic market. For this, the author conducted a questionnaire survey, predicted the consumers' purchase intentions for mackerel using PLS-SEM (partial least squares structural equation modeling), and evaluated the predictions using the TPB (theory of planned behavior) model. Moreover, this study examined whether there is a difference in consumers' purchase intentions between Korean and Norwegian mackerel. As a result, it is identified that the quality and utility of exogenous constructs indirectly affected the purchase intention (PI) through attitude toward the behavior (AB). In addition, the PI was affected by the subject norm (SN), which was affected considerably by the industrial conditions (IC) of exogenous constructs. Furthermore, the PI was also influenced by perceived behavioral control (PBC), which has the strongest impact on the PI. However, the purchase determinants of consumers were not different between Korean and Norwegian mackerel. In conclusion, Korean consumers consider quality and utility when they purchase mackerel, and their positive attitude can help them make a purchasing decision. Moreover, the more they recognize the conditions of production, business, and culture, the higher their intention is to purchase mackerel because they are forming a positive social atmosphere. Furthermore, whether they have the financial leeway and repulsion also represents factors in their purchase intention for mackerel. Finally, although Korean consumers prefer domestic seafood, they do not have different preferences when purchasing mackerel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores how the international exposure of companies influenced their strategies in responding to the COVID-19 crisis, and the extent to which they were affected. Our conceptual framework formulates two hypotheses that can be empirically tested. First, we posit that international companies, due to their connections with domestic and foreign markets, are more vulnerable to the crisis, being affected through both demand and supply channels. Second, despite their heightened exposure, we anticipate that international companies will exhibit greater resilience during the crisis compared to their domestic counterparts. This resilience can be attributed to their enhanced global connectivity and productivity. The empirical analysis, based on a large firm-level survey undertaken in 2020 in 133 countries, documents how different types of firms were affected by COVID-19 crisis and how they reacted to the disruptions, providing empirical support for both hypotheses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Kerala, the marketing organization is surrounded by conventional accoutrements and lacks by and large modern system of management. Several projects like co-operativization of production, processing and primary sale of fish were introduced to free the fishermen from the exploitation of middlemen. Even, after the initiation of these projects, auctioning of fish at various centres was largely controlled by the middlemen, who extracted a major share of the gross sale proceeds as auction charges. They often failed to pay the fishermen the promised prices when the deals were finally reconciled and the fishermen who are indebted to the middlemen have been absolutely vulnerable in exercising any control in the sale of fish landed by them. This study focuses on analysing the role of intermediaries in the marketing of marine fishes with special reference to North Kerala. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of the study is to analyze the dynamics of meat production, import, export, availability for human consumption and self-sufficiency rate (SSR) in Romania in the period 2014-2022 based on the data provided by National Institute of Statistics. The empirical data were processed using the growth rate, trend regression equations, determination coefficient, illustrative graphical representations and tabled results for the indicators taken into consideration. The results highlighted that in the studied period, total meat production (in fresh meat equivalent), decreased by 22.5%, from 1,291.9 thousand tons in 2014 to 1,001.6 thousand tons in 2022. But, by meat sort, the situation is different as follows: bovine meat production declined by 8.9% and pork production by - 16.4%, while sheep and goat meat increased by 27.2% and poultry meat by 43.8%. The imported quantities of meat registered an ascending trend from 383.9 thousand tons in 2024 to 628.5% in 2022 (+63.7%). By meat sort, the imported amounts increased by 12.4% for beef, by 200% for pork, by 400% for sheep and goat meat and by 8.1% in case of poultry meat. In 2022, Romania exported 166.8 thousand tons meat meaning by 31.61% more than in 2014. By meat type, the exported amounts increased by 200% for bovine meat, by 86 % in case of sheep and goat meat, by 45.2% in case of poultry meat, but in case of pork declined by 36%. The meat availability for consumption increased by 22.4% from 1,150.6 thousand tons in 2014 to 1,463.3 thousand tons in 2022. For total meat, self-sufficiency rate (SSR) declined from 83.3% in 2014 to 68.4% in 2022. By meat sort, SSR went up for bovine meat accounting for 87.1% in 2022 versus 82.1% in 2014, for pork SSR went down to 45.4% in 2022 versus 70.2% in 2014, SSR for sheep and goat meat was 100% in 2022 versus 106% in 2014 and for poultry meat, SSR increased from 87.5% to 95.2% in the studied period. In 2022, a Romanian consumed in average 74 kg meat, of which 38 kg pork, 27.9 kg poultry meat, 5 kg beef and veal and 2.6 kg sheep and goat meat, much more than in 2014, except bovine meat. As a conclusion, imports sustain pork domestic market as production is not enough to cover the demand, but also in smaller amounts for the other meat types. Romania is also an exporting country of meat, as long as the availability of meat on the internal market is raising. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the significance of rice in the Mexican diet and the country's dependence on imports to meet domestic demand, an examination of the food self-sufficiency index (SSI) for rice, which was 16.9 % in 2021, is required. The goal of this study was to examine the possibility of increasing the SSI to 66 % through crop area and yield increases, as well as to identify the most competitive regions in irrigated and rainfed agriculture under free trade conditions. A spatial equilibrium model that considered yield and potential area was obtained to analyze three scenarios that would place the SSI at 21, 46, and 66 %. The results show that to reach an SSI of 66 %, production would have to rise to 1139.7 thousand Mg, with 144.6 thousand ha of irrigated land and 18.2 thousand ha of rainfed areas, and an average yield of 7.4 and 4.2 Mg ha-1, respectively. The rice-producing states with the highest growth potential would be Nayarit, Campeche, and Michoacán, which have the potential to increase the cultivated area by more than 75 000 ha. Other regions with potential include Veracruz, Colima, and Jalisco. Due to the vulnerability of the domestic market to exogenous international changes resulting from its dependence on imports, it is recommended that the necessary measures be implemented to increase SSI for rice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The manufacturing of juice-containing soft drinks is experiencing significant expansion in both international and domestic markets, including Kazakhstan. This tendency can be attributed to the aspiration of the working-age population in developed countries to adopt a health-conscious lifestyle. The manufacturing of beverages using natural fruit and berry ingredients is highly intriguing in this context. Enriching soft drinks with a diverse array of physiologically active chemicals derived from plant materials is highly significant. This study aims to investigate the physicochemical characteristics of soft drinks and assess the potential application of gooseberry extract. In order to create a non-alcoholic beverage, the valuable wild gooseberries were utilised. These gooseberries are rich in biologically active elements, including vitamins, vitamin-like compounds, flavonoids, minerals, and other chemicals. The acquired results are derived from a substantial volume of empirical study and are founded upon an examination of literary data pertaining to the chemical makeup of gooseberries. The study investigated the chemical makeup of gooseberries using contemporary techniques of chemical analysis. A recipe for a nonalcoholic beverage made using gooseberry extract, free from any artificial ingredients, has been devised. The organoleptic and physico-chemical features of it have been determined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The results of the effect of five different incubation temperatures on the development of clownfish (Amphiprion ocellaris) larvae are presented. This ornamental species is widely marketed worldwide and is reared in captivity at CIAD to meet the demand in the domestic market. The experimental work was carried out over 30 days post-hatching to observe the temperature's effect on the development of the larvae's vertebral column and caudal complex. The eggs were incubated at 26, 28, 30, 32, and 34°C. The percentage of hatching, survival, growth, and the presence of skeletal malformations were evaluated. Hatching and survival percentages did not show significant differences between treatments. Regarding growth, there were significant differences between treatments, with organisms showing slower growth at 26°C and larger sizes at 34°C. The highest percentage of malformations occurred in larvae cultured at 34°C, with lordosis being the most frequently observed deformity among the treatments. Therefore, it can be concluded that the optimal temperature range for cultivating and harvesting quality A. ocellaris organisms is between 28 and 30°C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current state of development of the domestic sugar market is considered. It is determined that the traditional raw materials for sugar production in Ukraine are sugar beets of domestic production, grown almost in full by agricultural enterprises. It is determined that the price situation in the domestic sugar market is quite predictable, since it is closely related to production volumes, stocks and demand for the sweet product. It is concluded that in order to stabilize the domestic sugar market and weaken Ukraine's dependence on imports of liquid fuels, it is necessary to diversify sugar beet production on the basis of organizing the production of bioethanol from intermediate products of sugar beet processing at the capacities of sugar and distilleries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study aimed to comprehensively elucidate and identify the entrepreneurial and goal-oriented strategies of sports startups entering both domestic and international markets. The research employed a qualitative method, falling under the category of exploratory studies in terms of objectives, foundational and applied research regarding outcomes, and was grounded in the postmodernism paradigm. The research population comprised experts in marketing, sports management, and successful entrepreneurs with experience in launching sports startups. Purposeful sampling was employed for participant selection. To construct the initial research tool, the researcher, after reviewing relevant studies on sports startups, developed a semi-structured questionnaire for in-depth interviews with experts. The research strategy followed a phenomenological approach, and data analysis was conducted using MaxQDA software, version 20. The results of the data analysis unveiled eight key concepts within the entrepreneurial strategies section, pertaining to the entry of sports startups into domestic and international markets. These concepts encompass partners, stakeholders and customers, tolerable loss, flexibility and adaptability, experiences, uncertainty, service quality, available financial resources, and operational strategies. These concepts were derived from the interviews, contributing to theoretical saturation. Furthermore, in the section on goaloriented strategies, five concepts were identified: exports, communications, market strategies, market research, and risk management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid development of retail platforms, many manufacturers use retail platforms to encroach into the retail market (i.e., a type manufacturer encroachment) and gray market is increasingly prevalent in various industries. This paper considers a manufacturer who directly sells product 1 in the domestic market and sells product 2 through an incumbent retailer in the overseas market and a gray marketer can divert product 1 across markets without authorized (we call it gray market). In this paper, we examine the interaction between manufacturer encroachment and gray market. We find that when the domestic price of product 1 is sufficiently low, the gray marketer can successfully enter the overseas market without and with encroachment. Second, regardless of whether there is a gray market threat, the manufacturer has an incentive to encroach through retail platform when the commission rate is low. Moreover, the manufacturer's incentive to encroach varies with the domestic price of product 1 and gray market threat. Finally, manufacturer encroachment can reduce the scale of the gray market and even eliminate the gray market under certain conditions. The gray marketer always suffers from manufacturer encroachment while the retailer can benefit from manufacturer encroachment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite heightened interest in brand transgressions among academics and practitioners, the literature remains silent about the influence of a brand's origin on consumer responses to brand misconduct. This leaves managers unaware of how to adapt post-transgression recovery strategies at home and abroad. Contrary to the in-group country bias literature, we theorize an "origin-backfire" effect: consumers forgive domestic brand transgressions less. Analyzing experimental, social media, and secondary-longitudinal data, we find that consumers treat domestic brand transgressors as home-country traitors deserving punishment. Social identity threats mediate this effect and consumer ethnocentrism attenuates it. Transgressions' damage on brand reputation and value is larger and takes longer to recover from in domestic markets. Managers can alleviate post-transgression backlash through communication framing that construes the transgression as a response to intergroup threats (in foreign markets) and through collective compensation strategies (in domestic markets). The findings reveal cross-national variability in transgressions' experience, impact, and recovery and inform post-transgression repair strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Chinese firms are winning market share from foreign multinational enterprises in domestic markets. The international business literature suggests that this is happening because these firms are developing non-traditional firm-specific advantages (FSAs). Strategic factor market (SFM) theory provides a good basis for explaining how this is happening. However, it is underdeveloped in terms of analysing unique resources and unique access to those resources by Chinese firms in their domestic markets. This paper aims to develop a framework to understand how Chinese firms have developed non-traditional FSAs. Design/methodology/approach: The case study method is adopted to explore how Chinese firms develop non-traditional FSAs. Specifically, the authors compare paired case studies of a Chinese firm and a foreign multinational in each of two industries. Findings: The authors find that Chinese firms have developed non-traditional FSAs because of more relevant experience, better adapted strategies and privileged relationships. This has enabled Chinese firms to develop non-traditional FSAs. Originality/value: The authors propose a framework that conceptualises non-traditional FSA development in Chinese firms as a product of superior access to unique and valuable resources in their domestic SFMs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]